Aster plant named ‘Vibrant Dome’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aster  plant named ‘Vibrant Dome’, characterized by its uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform and freely flowering habit; semi-double-type inflorescences with purple-colored ray florets; and food garden performance.

Botanical designation: Aster novae-angliae.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Vibrant Dome’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Asterplant, botanically known as Aster novae-angliae and hereinafter referredto by the name ‘Vibrant Dome’.

The new Aster is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Asternovae-angliae cultivar Purple Dome, not patented. The new Aster wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin a population of plants of the cultivar Purple Dome in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Shaker Heights, Oh. during the fallof 2004. The selection of this plant was based on its unique ray floretcolor.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aster by vegetative tip cuttings wasfirst conducted in Lancaster, Pa. in November, 2005. Asexualreproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this newAster are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Vibrant Dome have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Vibrant Dome’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Vibrant Dome’ as a new and distinct pottedAster cultivar:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.    -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   5. Semi-double type inflorescences with purple-colored ray        florets.    -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Aster differ from plants of the parent, the cultivarPurple Dome, primarily in ray floret color as plants of the cultivarPurple dome have darker purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of the Aster cultivarPatricia Ballard, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inLancaster, Pa., plants of the new Aster differed from plants of thhecultivar Patricia Ballard in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were more compact and mounding than        plants of the cultivar Patricia Ballard.    -   2. Plants of the new Aster were stronger than plants of the        cultivar Patricia Ballard.    -   3. Plants of the new Aster and the cultivar Patricia Ballard        differed in ray floret coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Aster. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Aster.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Vibrant Dome’.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of ‘Vibrant Dome’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown during the summer and fall inLancaster, Pa. in an outdoor nursery and under conditions and practiceswhich approximate those generally used in commercial potted Asterproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 18° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 27° C.Rooted cuttings were planted in 20-cm containers, and exposed to naturalseason conditions. Plants used in the photographs and for thedescription were about ten months old. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aster novae-angliae cultivar Vibrant Dome.-   Parentage: Naturally occurring whole plant mutation of the Aster    novae-angliae cultivar Purple Dome, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two days at            temperatures of about 27° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About four days at            temperatures of about 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About seven            days at temperatures of about 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About twelve            days at temperatures of about 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium thickness, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous semi-double-type potted Aster.            Upright with lateral branches somewhat outwardly spreading;            inverted triangle with uniformly mounded crown. Freely            branching growth habit with about three primary lateral            branches each with six to eight secondary branches; dense            and full plants. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 16 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 12 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Internode length: About 9 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Densely pubescent, hirsute. Color: Close to 193A.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 8.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblong to lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Auriculate; clasping.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; rough.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: Close            to 137A. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to            147A; ventation, 147C. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: Close to 137C; venation, 147B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Semi-double type inflorescence form with            ligulate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne in            clusters of four to five per terminal above and beyond the            foliage. Disk and ray florets arranged acropetally on a            capitulum. Inflorescence not fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower            in late summer/early fall in the Northern Hemisphere.            Inflorescences persistent. Inflorescences last about four to            five days on the plant.        -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering, about eight to            ten developing and open inflorescences per lateral stem.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 77A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4 cm. Depth (height):            About 2.4 cm. Diameter of disc: About 7 mm. Receptacle            height: About 9 mm. Receptacle diameter: About 7 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:            Ligulate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire.Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous,            satiny. Orientation: Initially upright, then about 90° from            vertical or perpendicular to peduncle; apices reflexing with            development. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About            52 arranged in about three whorls. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 72A. When opening, lower surface:            Close to 72B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 77B.            Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 77C.        -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.            Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About            8 mm. Width: 1 mm. Number of disc florets per inforescence:            About 64. Color, immature: Apex: Close to 72A. Mid-section:            Close to 148D. Base: Close to 157A. Color, mature: Apex:            Close to 77B. Mid-section: Close to 78D. Base: Close to            157A.        -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 44            arranged in about five whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width:            About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base:            Truncate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: First peduncle: About 1.8 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 1.3 cm. Diameter (first peduncle): About            1.5 mm. Angle: Upright to about 45° from vertical. Strength:            Strong, flexible. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 147C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to            157D. Anther shape: Slender, elongated oblong. Anther            length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 177D. Pollen            amount: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on both ray and            disc florets. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma shape:            Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 151A. Style length: About            4 mm. Style color: Close to 150C. Ovary color: Close to            157D.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Asters has not been observed on plants grown under commercial    conditions.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Aster have been observed to be    rain and wind tolerant and to tolerate temperatures from 2° C. to    about 35° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Aster plant named ‘Vibrant Dome’ asillustrated and described.